Switched
by Obsidian Buterfly
Summary: He would have preferred having a pawn with magic but his divinations had shown how that would only lead to failure. So, being the smart man that he was, Fei Wang Reed reached out for the boy who would grow up to be a ruthless warrior instead. The Witch could have the magician as her pawn. Warning: AU, character deaths and injuries, minor OC involvement.
1. Hitsuzen favours the Bold?

_**A/N: This story is going to be a series of short chaptered drabble-ish sort of chapters. Those who have read This Bitter Taste of You and Faryaad will know what to expect in terms of length of the chapters though there are a few chapter that will be definitely longer and then there are chapters that would be very short. (In case you are wondering, this story is all written out till the very end so updates will be regular. Maybe something like twice a week or whenever I am free to put up a chapter.)**_

_**As far as I know, this idea has not been done in this manner before so I hope you will enjoy reading it. Drop me a review and tell me what you think. ;) ;)**_

Time had been rewound by Clow Reed's heir, but Fei had seen what the future held for him if he reached out for the magician. He would have preferred a pawn with magic, but choosing that path only led to failure. His divinations had revealed as much to him, and right before he had decided to zero in on the twins of misfortune. That label, of course, had been his own creation, to ensure one of the twins would be his blind follower in the future. Of course it had taken effort on his part to ensure the people of that world believed in the curse, but now… it seemed all of that had been wasted effort.

He had decided to reach out for the boy who would grow up to be a ruthless warrior instead. The ninja was much better suited to his purpose than the magician. The witch would no doubt seize the opportunity to reach out to the remaining half of the twins-for he had already killed one of them when his plans changed- and bring the boy into her fold. He would get the other boy before her, though. The boy, after all, had never had the chance to see his parent's murderer.

A tiny rift in space revealed the burning lands of Suwa with the sole survivor of the massacre raging on against the endless hordes of demons. The Tsukoyomi would never be able to get to the boy in time. Fei Wang Reed grinned to himself as he cast a spell to banish the demons.

Yes, this was working out perfectly. Hitsuzen was on his side.


	2. Promise of Revenge

_**A/N: The chapters **_**will**_** get longer as the story progresses, I swear. A quick update to give you all a little taste of what to expect. ;)**_

Yuui screamed and raged and kicked at the walls. Fai was dead. He had picked Fai, chosen to save his precious brother, his better half, but he was still dead. That man with the bat-insignia had stolen his brother from him. Pushed him from the tower, even though he had asked for his brother to be saved. Now he was the only one left alive. The curse of the twins was finally broken. He was free to leave, but…what use would it be if his brother was dead?

His skeletal fists beat against the frozen wall in anger, his blood staining the grey stone as he screamed and screamed and screamed at the unfairness of it all. His brother was dead. Fai was dead. That man had killed him. Even though he had promised he'd be safe, he _killed_ Fai.

Now Yuui would kill _him_.


	3. Different yet still the Same

**_A/N: I'm really pleased with the response you guys have given for this idea. Here's the next chapter. _**

**_Enjoy~_**

Yuuko watched through a small, magical mirror as Ashura opened a rift in space to the forbidden valley and pulled the little child into his world. Of course, he had to leave the corpse of his twin behind because the magic was not strong enough to get them both out and Ashura only had so much power at his disposal. Even so, Hitsuzen had played out differently than she had expected. Fei Wong's decision to bring the future warrior on his side had sent a steady stream of ripples through time and space. The future had once again become uncertain, just the way it was always meant to be. Turning away as the king began coaxing the boy to reveal his name, Yuuko shook her head and sent a silent prayer for the safety of all the children who were bound to go on the inevitable journey.

Maybe… things might turn out more in their favor than before.

"My name is Fai." The boy said and she had to bite back a bitter smile. Maybe…some things were not meant to change, no matter how many ripples went out into the world.

**_A/N: Despite the fact that Fai (or Yuui) does not blame himself for his twin's death, he still ends up taking his name. Though it's mainly so that he can avenge his brother than letting him have a chance at life again._**

**_Any thoughts on how Kurogane's life might have changed now?_**


	4. Harden my Heart

**_A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys. A lot of stuff has been happening at home so I've been really busy lately and updating fanfics just completely slipped from my mind. Anyhow, here's the promised update. I hope you enjoy what you read. Drop me a review and let me know what you think. :)_**

Tomoyo could only watch the warrior with saddened eyes as he reveled in the blood he shed, grinning like a true madman as the blood of his slaughtered opponents rained down all around him. True, those men had been assassins sent to kill her, but…to be so thirsty for blood was a craving only a true monster would enjoy. Suppressing the shudder that crawled down her spine, Tomoyo tried to pretend that there was still something in the demon-eyed man that could be salvaged. All those years ago, when she had found him amidst the carnage of slain oni, she had never expected the boy to be making promises to the corpse of his own mother.

It had been impossible to get him away from the shrine without helping him preserve the body of the late priestess inside by using her own magic and the pearl white feather with an intricate pattern that had fallen from the sky. She had never imagined using her magic for something of this sort, but she had sworn to help save the boy. She did not want him to be killed. His parents had, after all, rendered great services to her sister and it would be an insult to their memory to not help their only son. But as she turned away from the ninja who shot a feral grin in her direction from the grounds below- the blood of the assassins now torn to remains that could not even be identified as human- he looked no different from the monsters that had taken away his parents.

Trying not to let the tears spill from her eyes, Tomoyo knew she would have to send him away. After all, Hitsuzen demanded he go on that inevitable journey, even if she stood to lose him forever by sending him away. She knew what his wish would be. She had always known, and it hurt her to think that the last time she would ever see him would be to see the look of utter betrayal on his face as she cursed him and cast him away.

**_A/N: What do you think would his wish be? I'm putting up the next chapter along with this one as a treat for you all but before you click on the next button, review! *shot* that is all. ;)_**


	5. Animal I have Become

**_A/N: Well, the descriptions get a little graphic in this one (not on par with Broken but there's lots of blood being mentioned all the same) so I'd suggest reading this chapter only if you've got the stomach for this stuff. If not, then turn back now and wait for the next chapter. _**

**_Enjoy~_**

Ashura watched the blood as it dripped down his fingers, observed the bodies of his subjects littering the floors of his castle as he made his way to the throne room. It appeared as Hitsuzen still wanted for him to be a monster. He had just slain every single person in his castle, from servants to cooks, to guards to court magicians to nobles and their families. The healers and the patients, the children and the elderly. Not a single life had been spared and the proof of that was the blood that painted his body and clothes. Their blood decorated the walls of his castle and stained the carpets of its hallways. The crimson liquid flowed down the icy steps of the castle like a river.

Laughing hysterically at his own helplessness in the face of insanity, Ashura arranged the bodies of the nobles in their respective seats, patting their terrified, chalk-white faces with his claw-fingered hands. He said useless words of comfort to their frozen corpses as he went around positioning everything to look like a normal court session. Only…everyone was bathed in blood and he was a monster with a thirst for their blood and he had magic and he was powerful and unstoppable and…and he had killed everyone! No one was alive. No one at all. Except for that boy, and his apprentice. The boy he had taken under his wing at the request of the witch. The boy that she had promised would deliver him from his fate. And to think, he had been turned into this monster out of the kindness of a twisted man who had only wanted to 'save' his life.

The blood of a vampire, taken from an unwilling donor and fed to an unknowing receiver, had triggered the curse that followed the vampire line. The abomination that arose from such a bonding of blood would slowly descend into madness, killing everyone and everything around them. He was a monster and he had destroyed them all.

All except for _him _and _her. _The little boy he had saved and the apprentice he had convinced him to take on. He sent them out on a wild goose chase after a nonexistent trail of the monster, but now they were back. They were back and the monster was lying in wait for them. The monster was ready for its next and final kill. The monster was ready to face these final adversaries and claim the title of the strongest. He was invincible, and the little blond boy with all his magical power would not be able to stop him as the monster killed the boy's apprentice before it killed the boy too.

With a savage cry, the monster leapt from its perch aiming for the throat of the little girl.

The witch was wrong.

_Hitsuzen_ was wrong.

The monster was destined to win.

**_A/N: And this is the only world we will be seeing my OC in. Ashura is more insane than he was in the manga but what else might have changed in your opinion?_**


	6. I am Finished with You

**_A/N: And this is the point where the changes in the story really begin to show._**

Kurogane wanted to scream and yell at the princess. She could not do this to him. She was…she was forcing him to leave. She had cursed him for the way he tried to endlessly protect her. Could she not see how dangerous the world was? Could she not see he was trying to keep her safe? Could she not see that…that he needed her to keep him there? If she forced him to go on this journey, then she would be unprotected from that witch and…Kurogane would not be there to keep her safe and he would have to work for the man who had promised to bring his mother back to life. Kurogane had failed to protect her. And now Tomoyo was going to make him fail at protecting her, too. Why could she not see it? What if she died while he was gone and he had to choose between her and his mother? He could not choose between them…

But if she forced him to go away…he could never return. He knew he would never be able to choose her over his mother, and if she was dead then…then he would have failed at his promise to keep her safe and happy.

As the tendrils of magic slowly swallowed him up, he resigned himself to his fate, ignoring the tears that flowed down Tomoyo's face as she bade him farewell.

"Goodbye _Youou_. I hope you find what you are searching for."

She had taken away his sword as she had cursed him, so maybe she knew all along but never let it show. She knew what she was doing and…and he was never coming back.

**_A/N: Can anyone guess what his wish might be? ;) ;)_**


	7. Come Break me Down

**_A/N: And because I have been very lazy in updating this story, I figured I should do a double update. Enjoy the treat and drop me a review when you're done reading~_**

Fai crawled out of the pool of water, thanking Yuui in a soft voice as he brought him his coat. He had done it. He had owed the man his life, but…Ashura had lost his mind and it had been his wish that Fai kill whoever tried to hurt his people. Fai had never thought he was promising to end the sovereign's own life, but…that moment when he had attacked his apprentice, Fai saw nothing but red. His magic took on a life of its own and by the time he had regained control… Ashura was no more. But the man had died with a smile on his face, so some part of Fai knew that he had died in peace.

Though insane, the king had been the man who had pulled him out of that valley. It tore him apart inside to think he had killed the man who was his savior, but…as he cast a glance in the direction of the unconscious form on the floor near the edge of the underground pool his king now lay to rest in…he knew this was exactly what the man had intended for him to do when he had taken him out of that valley. He had shown him love and kindness and taught him to be proud of who he was, yet Ashura had done it all for selfish reasons. Ashura had wanted for Fai to carry the burden of killing the one man he saw as his father.

Once the deed was done, Fai had brought Ashura's corpse to the underground reservoir that the king had loved so much and laid his body to rest inside. Now, as he looked at the construct he had created using a magical feather in the image of his deceased brother, Fai was at a momentary loss of what to do. His apprentice would survive. She would not die, but…he could not return with her to the village she had once called home.

"What will Fai do now?" Yuui's quiet question made him pause for a second, wondering if…

He had always known there would come a day when he would have to leave this world behind and go to _that _place. It seemed as though the time for that had finally come. All his previous attempts at returning to that world had failed because his magic was nullified in that valley, but…_Fai_ was still there and…now that he no longer had a place to call home…maybe he could finally get his brother out of that world and lay his remains to rest the way they truly deserved, the way he had just done for Ashura. Fai deserved that much atleast.

Making up his mind, the blond magician summoned his heavy winter coat and pulled it over his clothes, drying himself with a quick spell before turning his attention to his brother's young lookalike.

"Please take her back to her home and watch over her for me."He requested gently, slowly casting a spell that would take them both away from the castle and away from him, "if she asks, tell her I'm…I'm going back for Fai."

The magical construct that looked so much like Fai nodded once in confirmation as they were whisked away and Fai was left standing alone beside the pool that housed his dead king. Heaving a sigh, he took in his surroundings for the last time, casting a spell he had always known he would one day have to use as he bade farewell to everything he had known and loved.

"Goodbye, Ashura-ou." He whispered as tendrils of his own magic began to whisk him away to the one place where he could get the means to go to Fai.

**_A/N: So there won't be a Chii in this fic but you got a magical lookalike for the young Fai instead. I'm pretty sure you guys can guess what their wishes might be once they get Yuuko's shop now, right? _**


	8. All for You

_**A/N: Because I'm too lazy to come up with something creative to say here ignore my note and go ahead and enjoy the update ;)**_

"This is my wishing shop, and for a price, what you desire might be granted," Yuuko spoke more for the benefit of the brunette and the warrior than the blond magician who looked at her with a knowing smile.

The warrior looked wary of her, as though he expected her to suddenly draw swords and run him through. He was not at all like how the future had once shown him to be. He lacked the sword she was supposed to take as his payment, but then again, it was no longer his most precious possession. And looking at the smiling magician with shoulder-length hair tied to one side in a loose ponytail, she knew neither was the blond. Their tragic pasts had shaped who they were, and their present selves and choices would determine who they would be in the future.

"Since you are all here, you all have something you want. If you can pay the price, I will be willing to grant your wish."

"Please save Sakura!" The copy of its original cried with so much emotion Yuuko almost felt sorry for what she was about to ask of the boy. Even if he was not a real person, he still possessed a heart and he loved the girl he held in his arms like a lifeline.

"What about you two?" She had to force herself not to show any emotions as she spoke.

"I wish to return to _that _world." said the magician.

"I wish to never return to that world." declared the warrior at the same time.

Yes. A lot more had changed than just their appearances. Their wishes had changed as well. And thus…their prices, too.

"What you all seek is impossible to pay for on your own. But if you are willing to share the price, you can help grant each others' wishes." She told the boy, "You wish to save the princess, but her memories are scattered through the dimensions and you will need to return them to her. As for the two of you, travelling through worlds is how you can achieve what you want. If you are willing to share the price, I can tell you what you have to give up."

At receiving their confirmation, she continued. "For you, Kurogane, the payment will be your tattoo." she said, nodding at the Dragon's tattoo that was wrapped around his arm, "For you, Fai, it is the bejeweled dagger you carry. And for you and the princess, Syaoran, it will be your relationship."

Neither of the former two had wanted to part with their most precious possessions, the warrior trying to hassle her into taking his armor instead and the magician offering up his staff instead, only to promise to make a return for the dagger when he had something of equivalent value- it had been a gift from his king, he said. The brunette agreed to pay the price in a heartbeat and she was saddened to see how things had not ended up differently for this pair even with the ripples distorting what was meant to be. Maybe some things were just… inevitable.

A short while later as the four children departed on the journey, Yuuko could only hope that Hitsuzen would still favor them over that man as they tried to get what they needed.


	9. Would it Kill You?

**_A/N: The journey has finally begun. But more than just their wishes and prices have changed. ;)_**

The warrior refused to fight, choosing instead to avoid confrontations by scaring his opponents into submission or shoving Fai in his place to fight since 'he was the resident mage and thus had more power.'

This irritated Fai to no end, as he knew the man was more than capable of beating the shit out of their opponents single-handedly, yet…Fai was the one stuck with the unpleasant task of defeating the opponents they faced in the various worlds.

In the very first world they had visited, the warrior had handled his Kudan like a seasoned veteran, even though right after the fight in which it had transformed into a sword for the man, Kurogane had claimed he would never fight with a sword again since his sovereign, Lady Tomoyo, had cursed him and he would never be able to lift his sword against an opponent for the rest of his life. Fai could detect a lie when he heard one, and it was clear as hell that the warrior was lying. How ironic that the honor code of the world he hailed from demanded honesty and honor as the very basis of its sacred warrior arts.

Fai had no inhibitions whatsoever about using his magic to help them out of tight spots, but…honestly! Would it kill the stupid ninja to pull his own weight every once in a while?


	10. Purpose of my Existance

**_A/N: I'd like to say that if in case I ever forget to update for more than a week, please remind me to put up a new chapter. You have my permission to bug me as much as you want for an update because just know that this fic is already finished. I've normally just nearly forgotten about putting up the next chapter would be all ^_^;_**

Kurogane had decided from the minute he had laid eyes on the magician that he was going to make life hell for him. Maybe it was that stupid smile the blond had pasted on his face as he had greeted the witch, or maybe it had been that knowing look he had shot in Kurogane's direction when the warrior had sneakily given the brunette the feather he had been carrying around with him for more than half his life. _That_ man had told him to keep it with him for this very moment and Kurogane had done just as he had been instructed, but the way the magician had looked at him when the ninja had 'plucked' the princess's feather out of the boy's cloak before gruffly thrusting it at him made the decision for him. He absolutely hated the mage and he would make the blonde's journey _hell._

The very first world they had stayed in, everyone had told their respective stories. The kid and the princess had both been sent to the witch by the High Priest of their country. The mage had sent himself because the world he wished to go did not accept his magic, and Kurogane had…Kurogane had been cursed and banished from his world as punishment for performing his duties. So now…he was never going to return.

And because he had been cursed for his skill, he refused to use it. He was secretly delighted to discover the magician did not like being forced to get them all out of whatever trouble that he usually secretly attracted to their group. Of course he would still evade and deflect attacks if an opponent came at him, but to be on the offensive was something he swore never to do. He knew he would have to break that oath one day when _that_ man demanded it of him, but until then, Kurogane was content to let the blond do all their dirty work.

"I am not your personal manservant, Kuro-useless." The blond would huff irritably after every scuffle they got into and Kurogane noticed how the man seemed to enjoy his explosive reactions to the mangling of his name. "You need to start pulling your own weight, you know." He would add calmly as Kurogane would scream obscenities and death threats at the skinny mage.

Despite the unapproachable and rather hostile front he had put on to keep his companions away from him, Kurogane knew that he was getting attached to them by the time they reached the world with onis and hunters and cafes and stupid meowing cats, when he agreed to be the kid's teacher in swordsmanship.


	11. A Dysfunctional Family

**_A/N: And this is where the story really begins to diverge from the manga. Enjoy the update~_**

Fai had been rather reluctant to take on another apprentice when he already had once back home, but the way the princess had hopefully asked him to teach her more about magic so that she could be of more use to their group, he did not have the heart to turn her away. He knew how everyone in all the worlds he had been to only did something for their own personal gain. Be it fame, fortune, being known by everyone for their kindness or good looks or money or a combination of any of these things, men were all selfish creatures. No one ever truly did anything for anyone else.

Even everything Ashura had done for him had been to serve his own goals. Fai had merely been used as a pawn but the princess was different. She truly only wanted to help the rest of their group. After all, they were all helping her, so she wanted to help them back.

Outo was a rather peaceful world, despite the frequent oni attacks that he and the boy, Syaoran, went out to hunt at night, so Fai did not see much harm in teaching the princess a thing or two. It was rather surprising to see the warrior agree to take the boy on as his own apprentice. Every afternoon, they would leave the safety of the small home they had bought in the middle of the town and wander to a small park near the forest that surrounded Outo. There Fai would spend time teaching the princess about her magic and sometimes self-defense and how to seal magical weapons and other objects. Two weeks into their training, Fai had bought her a staff, for if she planned to help them out, magic alone would never be enough.

Late at night when the kids would go off to bed, exhausted from the day's activities, Fai would grab a bottle of alcohol and wander out to the porch, stare at the moon and wonder about his home and his brother and his king and his apprentice. Sometimes, the ninja would join him and they would sit together in companionable silence. Fai knew he unnerved the other man at times because they both knew that he knew that the warrior was hiding something rather sinister right beneath his gruff demeanor and maybe once or twice Fai had even gone so far so as to hint that he knew. But despite it all, they were slowly becoming a rather dysfunctional sort of family.


	12. Guardian gods

**_A/N: I know, I've been really lazy in updating this fic and I apologize for the wait. But I was kinda caught up in trying to write out the final chapter for Broken and stuff so yeah… but anyways, here's the update. I hope you enjoy it. Tell me what your thoughts are and drop me a review at the end. ;)_**

They had been separated from the kids and Mokona. Fai had tried using his magic to find out where they were, but the ancient magic that coiled all around the world that they had landed in would not let him find out the exact location, only the fact that they were here.

It was rather unnerving to discover that the people of this world prayed to Ashura as a guardian god, but his shock had not been as bad as Kurogane's who had ended up meeting this world's version of Lady Tomoyo. The woman had welcomed them into her shrine and told them to make themselves at home as they waited for their companions, because their destinies were entwined and they would surely meet again. The woman had offered words of consolation to the ninja, though the red-eyed man brushed her off in a rather harsh manner. Fai had not intended to eavesdrop but he had no idea they had been inside the shrine when he had gone searching for his companion. The anger and venom in the warrior's tone startled Fai as he told the priestess to tell his sovereign never to expect him to come back after the way she tossed him aside.

Only seconds after that, Kurogane had stormed out, brushing past Fai without sparing him a second glance. The next time they met, the ninja pretended like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The red-eyed man puzzled Fai. At first glance he appeared to be a rather straightforward and somewhat blunt man with a gruff exterior and no care about those around him, but as he spent more time in his company, Fai was discovering layers and layers of complexity in the man.


	13. Torn Masks

**_A/N: Since I forgot to update last week, I figured I should do a double update for this fic enjoy the extra chapter and don't forget to review at the end. _**

He hated the magician. He hated him for everything he was and everything he stood for. From the rare sincere smiles he gave to the children to the magic he possessed and would use without abandon to help others to his blue eyes and his pale skin. He was the complete opposite of the Japanese warrior and made Kurogane acutely aware of his own shortcomings like no one else.

The blond could see through him like Tomoyo, those unnaturally blue eyes gazing at him with that knowing look every time he lied, letting him know that the mage was on to him. He hated feeling exposed. Being a warrior used to concealing his presence within shadows and attacking without his opponents even knowing he was there before their lives were forfeit, it was like he was suddenly cast in the middle of a hall filled with mirrors upon mirrors that magnified the light to the brightest of intensities, laying bare his bloodied, blackened heart for the world to see.

Kurogane knew Fai had heard his explosive conversation with the shrine priestess, but he tried to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Much to his surprise, the man did not try and pry into what was going on in his life and for that he was grateful. That last bit of privacy was all he had left to himself when even his dreams were plagued by _that_ man and his commands and memories of his mother's lifeless body and his father's severed arm still clutching onto the sword Tomoyo had taken from him.


	14. Seperated

**_A/N: Because I was lazy in updating, I shall make this a double update. Enjoy~_**

Ancient magic had gone out of control, and suddenly Mokona's powers activated without the dimension hopper's consent, pulling the four travelers into the void between space and time. When they came to, Fai noticed they were in a jungle of some sort. The branches and trunks of the leafless trees were all twisted and gnarled, warped by some insane magic and for a fraction of a second, Fai was reminded of Ashura, savage and animalistic after he lost his mind. Shrugging off the ill feeling, he hurriedly looked for his companions, his heart dropping to his stomach when he realized that the twisted magic of the jungle was interfering and he had no idea where the others were.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he climbed to his feet and tried to use a small locating spell, grunting in pain when even his own magic opposed him and he fell to the ground in a panting heap. Lucky for him, Kurogane found him but the words the man said were all indecipherable to the magician. It was like…like he was speaking an entirely different language and it was a belated realization that the reason why even his own magic rebelled was that he did not have one of Mokona's secret 108 techniques protecting him from the effects of that world. Mokona was still stuck somewhere in the time-space warp it had created and he and Kurogane had been dropped here.

From the headache he had received upon trying to perform such a basic level spell, he knew the strain to try and get them to their companions would surely kill him.


	15. Warriors

**_A/N: Enjoy~_**

Kurogane had no idea what the hell was wrong, but all of a sudden he had no understanding of what the mage was trying to say. His words were all just a bunch of gibberish interspersed with odd clicks and sounds that before then he had not thought were humanly possible. He tried indicating that they had to find the kids, though they both knew how to defend themselves. This place just felt wrong. It was dangerous and he wasn't sure they would be able to handle what it threw at them.

Before they could leave to search for the kids and the meatbun, though, they were surrounded by people dressed in odd, partially-torn garbs and bodies painted with bright, vivid colors. Knowing a threat when he saw one, Kurogane internally cursed himself for not buying a sword for himself. He would not be of much use to the mage in this situation and it was quite clear that for once, the blond was not able to use magic. The leader of the savages addressed the blond, making sounds just like the ones the blond had been making, though the clicks were more pronounced and the gibberish a little more clipped. It was giving him a headache, listening to the thing talk, but the mage seemed to understand for he instantly brightened and responded with more gibberish.

Whatever he said, making several motions towards himself and Kurogane, it seemed to appease the savages surrounding them, for they lowered their weapons and welcomed them with open arms.

This was how Kurogane found himself becoming a part of the tribe of wild warrior mages, even if he did not possess any magic of his own. He was given a weapon, a staff with wickedly curved steel blades on both ends and brought to a small tree house. The mage prattled on and on for a little while before realizing Kurogane could not understand him at all. He looked pained for a second as he cast a small spell and briefly explained their situation.

The jungle was full of wild magic, though every night when the moon bathed the trees, the magic became more potent. That was when the Yasha clan of warrior mages would go to the plain in the middle of the forest with the glass lake to fight against the mages from the warrior clan of Ashura. Fai had made Kurogane out to be a magician whose magic had been crippled in a confrontation against the Ashura clan and he himself had taken on the identity of a wandering mage looking for a place to call home. The Yasha wanted to test their loyalties by sending them out to the glass lake that night.

If they won, they would be welcomed into the tribe, but if they were to fail, death awaited them. That was all the blond was able to convey before a trickle of blood flowed from his nose and he collapsed in a crumpled heap on the floor.

**_A/N: I hope you're enjoying the changes I've made to the plot so far. Please drop me a review and tell me what you think :)_**


	16. Put You to the Test

Fai did not try talking to Kurogane again after that first time because the forest did not allow the use of magic anywhere apart from the glass lake on moonlit nights. Kurogane seemed to understand his reasons for not using magic, even if he never got the explanation as to why. They spent the next few months in this manner, formally becoming a part of the Yasha clan and earning reputations of being fierce warriors.

Then, just as their seventh month began, Fai and Kurogane discovered they could finally talk to each other, which meant that Mokona had finally found its way to that world. Surprisingly enough, the first time they met the kids, it was on the glass lake, both the princess and Syaoran posing as warriors from the Ashura clan. Knowing it was best not to reveal themselves to their fellow warriors as having connections to the Ashura clan, they both agreed to pretend that they had no idea who the children were and fight them like worthy opponents. The princess had come a long way in using her magic and though her weapon techniques were not yet perfect, her luck ensured she never got hit by any of his spells.

Syaoran might not have been so lucky with Kurogane, but that was okay because the warrior still seemed satisfied by the boy's level of skill. A few more nights of such confrontations before Sakura's feather was revealed and Ashura and Yasha were reunited as lovers in death and the four dimension travelers were being whisked away by Mokona as the glass lake finally turned stormy and the forest began to bloom into life.

**_A/N: And this was the last installment for the Yasha/Ashura arc thing. Next up, it's Piffle World. Drop me a review and do tell me what you thought._**


	17. Peaceful Days Wont Last Long

**_A/N: to answer the question an anonymous reviewer asked me about rushing through the chapters and some of you complaining about the length being short…Well I kinda wrote this whole story in two days ^_^; and haven't really gone back to look it over again after the initial read over when my beta sent the chapters to me so yeah… the length seemed fine to me back then. But I might go over the future chapters and add more details *crosses fingers* once I'm done with the epilogue for Broken and the few remaining chapters for Shattered Secrets._**

Piffle was a rather peaceful world, with a lot of technology none of the travelers had ever encountered. It was also the world where Kurogane met a copy of Tomoyo for the second time. His princess had apologized profusely for breaking his heart-he had a suspicion the blond mage had heard this conversation, just like the last one- and told him that she did return his feelings. To prove her sincerity, she promised to be there, waiting for him, with his second-most prized possession when he finally got to Japan. Kurogane had scoffed at the Tomoyo that passed this message along and derisively told her to tell his Tomoyo not to keep her hopes up. He wasn't coming back.

The Tomoyo from Piffle had gotten such a sad look on her face before she shook it away with a small smile, telling him he could never fight against Hitsuzen. This Tomoyo never came to talk to him again for as long as they stayed in that world. They all participated in a flying machine race to get the princess's feather that was being offered as the prize. Their days were spent in relative peace as the magician taught the princess more about magic and fighting and he once again took up teaching the kid about the ways of the sword. Of course for as long as they were there, Kurogane could never shake off the feeling that this was only the calm before a big storm.


	18. Baring my Soul

**_A/N: a bonus chapter to make up for the short length of the last one ^_^;_**

Rekourt was a country of magic with vast, sprawling libraries that housed millions and millions of books about any subject imaginable. It was not much of a surprise for the group to discover that Sakura's feather was in a library as well. It was housed within a book of memories, a copy of which Fai accidentally ended up looking into without realizing what it was. It wasn't until Syaoran had already picked up the book and looked through its pages that Fai realized just what had happened. Cursing to himself, he tried to get the book away from the boy before stopping himself. If he were to rip the book out of his hands, Syaoran might lose his mind.

Magic dealing with memories and the mind were very complicated and only healers of the greatest skill could interrupt these spells when they were in progress. Considering he was not a healer, Fai had to helplessly stand by and watch as his past was revealed to the brunette.

His birth, the condemnation of himself and his twin, getting locked up in the valley of sinners, Fai dying, Yuui being saved by Ashura, learning about magic, getting an apprentice and then teaching her about magic. Finding out about the beast and making a promise to Ashura. Syaoran would know it all. How he had killed to protect someone he cared about. How he had sworn vengeance against the man that was responsible for his beloved twin's death. Everything would be laid bare before Syaoran.

Yet when he took the book back from the brunette, Syaoran had only apologized for seeing what he had before passing out. The boy developed a small fever from all the stress, but Fai talked to him and got him to see a healer. He asked for him not to share what he saw with anyone because he did not want their pity. What was in the past was done already. Syaoran did not have to feel sorry for him over something like that.


	19. Everything Falls Apart

Kurogane was finally confronted by Fai in the world where burning water rained down from the skies. He had known all along that such a confrontation would come his way one day, but it still shocked him and caused him to clam up when the mage demanded he get his act together and look after the kids for real, because if he meant to harm them in any way or form, Fai would kill him. Apparently, Kurogane using the kid's sword to beat the crap out of the magical beasts pursuing them in Rekourt had unnerved the magician. He was pretty sure he had scared the kid too. It wasn't his fault he lost control when facing monsters threatening those he cared about. He tended to turn into a monster himself, not stopping until the creatures opposing him were nothing but torn limbs and indistinguishable body parts.

That was why Tomoyo had banished him, after all. He was a monster in a man's skin. The fact that he had lost control for someone he had been trying since the very start to not care about made him realize just how epically he had failed at staying away from them. They were too close to his heart. Too close. He had to push them away, for all of their sakes.

-0-

Fai knew the clone had lost its heart and it would do what it was created to do. The last thing he saw before the clone bashed his head against a rock and knocked him out was Kurogane screaming something incomprehensible and running towards them. Then he knew no more.


	20. Let Me Go

_**A/N: And the drama continues ;) **_

The world was burning, poison seeping through his blood as the blade of the magical weapon was buried hilt-deep within his body. A choked wheeze escaped his lips as the boy he had taken on as his student pulled the sword out and let him drop to the ground in a useless heap. The mage was stirring awake somewhere nearby and then there was another kid and they were all fighting and the mage was bending over him, blue eyes scared as they gazed down at him, hands pressing against the burning hole in his body to staunch the flow of blood as the world turned to hell all around them.

A vague, hysterical part of him realized that he was going to die. The mage had admitted he could not perform healing magic and…Kurogane was a monster anyways. He did not deserve to be saved. It was better if he died this way. At least some good had come out of his actions. The kid had been just about ready to rip out the blond's eye. Before dying, Kurogane had at least had managed to do one good deed. He had saved someone he cared about. Now he could die and go rot in hell for his crimes, just the way all monsters had to.

He was vaguely aware of being carried someplace by someone warm and skinny. Funny, he never realized the mage was strong enough to carry him like that. He was being set down, the manju crying for the witch somewhere in the distance, begging her to save his life.

He tried telling them it was better to let him die. He was a monster and they were better off without him, but…the mage was too damn stubborn for his own good. He would not let Kurogane die.


	21. The Vow

Fai was horrified to realize that the warrior was dying, dying because he had tried to save Fai by stopping the clone from gouging out his eyes. And now the man was begging for death. Fai could not have another death on his conscience. Especially the death of a man he had come to see as something of an irritating brother. Or a close cousin. Though he had no living blood relatives left, this dysfunctional group of dimension travelers was his family and now…now one of them was dying and Fai could not let that happen. He had to save him, no matter the consequences. Kurogane was no monster and he did not deserve to die the way he was. So, damning the outcome, Fai made the wish to save his life.

The ninja tried to stop him once more but Fai cut him off in a cold and harsh manner.

"If you want to die that bad, _I'll_ be the one to kill you." He told the dying man in a cold manner, missing the sad smile that flittered across Yuuko's face for just a fraction of a second as she watched it all proceed.

**_A/N: Any thoughts?_**


	22. Spiraling Down Down Down

He was dying. He was burning. Fire was eating his insides, the strong taste of iron racing down his throat, his body twisting and contorting of its own accord as the very building blocks of his body were broken down and reconstructed. An agonized scream ripped itself from his throat as he thrashed about, only distantly aware of the strong grip on his shoulders, holding him down to the bed and keeping him from hurting himself too badly. His eyes snapped open for a fraction of a second, the colors of the world assaulting his vision before his lids slammed back together. He could feel the blood trickling down his throat as he screamed again.

Was this what hell felt like? Why wouldn't his agony end? Why would it not stop? Why…why was he putting him through this? Why had he not let him die? Why…

Chest heaving and body trembling, he looked up at the pair of blue eyes with pure hatred before exhaustion overcame him and he was enveloped in darkness's loving embrace.

-0-

Fai had known the ninja would hate him for forcing him to stay alive when he had begged for death, but he had never once thought the warrior's cold and aloof behavior would hurt this much. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He had only known that…their group would never be the same if Kurogane had died. So long as he was alive, they would all come through in the end, but maybe it had been nothing but wishful thinking on his part.

Here in Infinity, months after the clone had been replaced by his original, Fai felt like he was suffocating. The silence and distance within the group was driving him insane.

**_A/N: oh I do so love to write about the Infinity arc. :3 so which is your favorite in the manga? _**


	23. Just Beyond the Horizon

Kurogane had no idea why, but ever since the kid had left, he had turned the princess into a replacement of Tomoyo, serving her loyally like a servant, pushing the others away, watching over her like a bloodied, fallen guardian angel-turned-monster. The mage forced him to drink his blood a few times a week and he would always try to show just how much he appreciated the blond for his efforts. It also gave him a bit of vindictive pleasure to see the princess push the brunette away the way she did, turning to him for the comfort she wanted. Even if he was a monster, at least he still had a master to serve and protect.

-0-

Fai tried to make up for the rejections the others forced on Syaoran, inviting the boy to drink with him whenever possible, going out to the small mockery of a park to spar, going grocery shopping with him if nothing else was possible. And he could tell the brunette appreciated all these gestures of acceptance on his part. The boy was a lot like Kurogane. He carried secrets close to his heart, and while Fai was interested in knowing what they were, he also knew he might not like what he found in the end.

The boy was also a lot like his clone, but Fai discovered that he was just as different from the other brunette. This Syaoran had a tendency to accept whatever treatment he was given, as though he deserved it for a sin none of them knew about. It was rather irritating to see him pine after the princess and look longingly after the ninja for something as small as a nod of approval. Mokona was the only one besides Fai who treated the brunette even remotely normally, though the dimension hopper admitted to letting the boy talk to Yuuko after it went to sleep on more than one occasion.

As the final match drew nearer, Fai could not help but feel that something bad was about to happen.

**_A/N: Fai should really pay attention in the final match because his intuition might turn out to be a lot more accurate than he can ever hope. ;) ;)_**

**_Drop me a review and let me know what you think might happen because I assure you, it wont be quite the same as what happened in the manga._**


	24. Feel like a Monster

**_A/N: Really guys, where have you all vanished off to? _**

The familiar pupils of his student in the face of a boy that was _not _his student swam before Kurogane's vision, eyes wide in shock as a small whimper of pain escaped the boy's lips. He could hear Fai screaming at him to not pull the sword out but Kurogane's body moved of its own accord, the boy's own sword making a sickening squelch as the warrior drew it out of his stomach.

The warrior's breath came in short, rapid pants as the realization of what he had done finally began to sink in. He had killed him…he had…he had killed the boy who was the original of his student…he had _killed_ him! And all at the command of a voice inside his head telling him he had to kill the heir of Clow Reed.

Suddenly, Syaoran was splitting into two. One of them- the one _not _covered in blood and the one without the gaping hole in his stomach- he offered Kurogane a sad smile, telling him it wasn't his fault and that he did not blame him for it. That he had known something like this would happen and that was why he had made a wish to the witch and now all they had to do was come find him. The non-blood covered Syaoran apologized to the princess for hurting her so much and asked the mage to forgive Kurogane for what he had done. He had no control over his actions. Then there were two blond boys who looked a lot like younger versions of the mage floating in the sky and each of them was grabbing on to a Syaoran and then there were rifts opening up in space and they were gone, leaving Kurogane with the bloodied sword in his hand.

The sword that had once belonged to the boy he had just killed. He was a monster. A monster. A monster who could not differentiate between friend or foe. He was a monster. Tomoyo hated him for what he was. He did not deserve to live. A creature like him deserved to be in hell.

Watching the blood's gleam play over the silvery surface of the metal, Kurogane grabbed the hilt with both hands and plunged it into his own body.

Or at least, he tried to, but the mage was there and he was taking the sword from him and looking at him with such angry yet sad blue eyes. Oh, how he hated those eyes. Why wouldn't that man leave him alone?! Let him die in peace?

"I'm a monster." He heard himself whisper before it all became too much. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell in a graceless heap.

**_A/N: So Kurogane was the one with the curse and Sakura failed to divert the attack to herself. But Syaoran is not dead. Did his body and soul end up in Celes and the dream world or will the gang be headed off to some place different. Also, does Kurogane have the second curse as well? I'd love to hear what you guys think so don't forget to review. _**


	25. Make a Wish

Syaoran had known of Kurogane's curse all along, or at least, that was what Yuuko told them. He had known the truth about Kurogane, too. He had known everything and yet he had never said a word, silently taking the princess's rejection and the ninja's hatred. Upon discovering that the boy was not in fact dead but just split between body and spirit, Kurogane declared he had a wish to go and bring him back. He offered the use of all his limbs as payment for his wish. Fai could not help but punch the man in the head. Hard.

Syaoran was their friend too and he sure as hell wanted to go save the boy so there was no way in he would let the ninja waltz alone to wherever the boy was now and bring him back. Sakura, too, expressed her desire to get him back because it was her fault he was in that situation in the first place. Sakura had seen the future in a dream and she had seen him getting stabbed by Kurogane. She had been trying to change the future and redirect the attack to herself, but she had failed at saving him.

All the color drained from Kurogane's face when Yuuko told them where Syaoran's body was- which was what they had to get first. The place where his body was being held was 'The Shrine of Suwa'.

Kurogane made a wish to go back to his home world the next time Mokona jumped and Yuuko told him that the price for a wish like that would mean he had to pick up his father's sword and lose control. He seemed almost scared of the price for a fraction of a second and Fai had half a mind to offer sharing the price before the ninja agreed to the witch's terms. It would seem they were all going to Nihon.

**_A/N: So as the reviewers have guessed last chapter, Syaoran's body did not end up in Celes after all. Any thoughts on what awaits the gang in Nihon?_**


	26. For You I Would

**_A/N: And this is where the story really begins to deviate from the manga (not that it had not done so already but… yeah ^_^; ) I hope you enjoy it._**

Kurogane's past was tragic. That was the only word that could be used to describe it. The princess was in tears as she saw how he lost his parents and how he was presented a deal by Fei Wong Reed and how Tomoyo had tried to save him from himself and how he had turned into a monster as he spent more and more time killing. In the middle of the shrine, holding on to the sword of his father, was Tomoyo. She was smiling softly, though Kurogane could see blood trickling down the side of her face.

"I told you I would wait for you, Kurogane." The princess said softly as the warrior moved towards her in a trance-like state. As soon as his fingers had closed in around the hilt of the blade, oni began to gather around them. Tomoyo called for Sakura to help move Syaoran's body as the two adults in the group got ready to fend off the deadly horde of demons. The two princesses stood protectively over the body of the spiritless brunette. Sakura started to summon her staff and called on her magic to help protect them but was forced to stop by a scream from Tomoyo.

"They're attracted to magic!" the Japanese princess cried, drawing what appeared to be twin blades. She hadn't seen the princess use weapons in any of Kurogane's memories, but maybe she had learnt after he had been forcefully sent away. After all, the princess looked years older now than she did in the memory where Kurogane had been cursed by her. Several years must have passed for her here in this world. It was all a mess of magic and blades and gnashing teeth and swiping claws and dismembered black limbs as Sakura lost herself in the battle. The sound of Tomoyo's scream made her pause for a fraction of a second. She heard Kurogane howl in rage before the Japanese warrior became a blur of flashing sword and swiping limbs, body moving faster than was humanly possible.

**_A/N: And for those of you wondering what exactly I had meant by Kurogane losing control, remember that scene in the manga where he's holding his mother's dead body and then the oni tears up the roof of the shrine and he sees his father's hand sticking out of the mouth of the monster? And then by the time Tomoyo and company show up, he's killed every single one of them. All the oni that his father's army couldn't kill, a child his age managed to kill them all singlehandedly. And that too without sustaining any serious injuries. That's what I meant by him losing control. I hope I haven't confused you guys any further with my explanation. _**


	27. A Heavy Price

Fai was aware of Tomoyo's waning magic. She was hurt rather badly and if someone did not get her out of there soon, the princess was done for. Silently praying that she would not be restricted by the wards of her own home, Fai began casting a spell to transport her back to Shirasagi castle. Kurogane was nearly insane with rage, but the man was equally worried about the princess's safety for he never strayed out of her reach, felling monsters as they came at them.

"Hold on, Tomoyo!" Fai heard the man yell more than once over the din created by the monstrous growls coming from the endless sea of oni. It was hard work keeping the spell stable as he wove his magic into the air surrounding the princess and dodged the oni at the same time. In his worry over ensuring the princess got out safely, he never noticed the giant claw heading in his direction until it was too late.

A small gasp escaped his lips as the monster tore through his chest just as Tomoyo landed safely inside her castle. He had an odd sense of déjà vu as his vision began going black, Kurogane racing towards him being the last thing he ever saw.

-0-

The manju bun was already using its magic to take them away from that hellish world as demons engulfed the entire land of Suwa like a sea of writhing growling black bodies. He was distantly aware of his mother's body disintegrating as the feather was released from it and caught by the princess who magically sealed it away before it could be absorbed by her body. He never noticed the second feather that the princess caught and gave to the manju bun just as he managed to wrench the mage's limp body off the oni's claws, tendrils of the dimension hopper's magic swirling around them and taking them away, leaving only a destroyed shrine amidst the ocean of monsters that destroyed his family.

**_A/N: I guess with Kurogane having no magic whatsoever, there really was no point in FWR putting on a world destroying curse on him in the first place, was there, and consindering how he was supposed to have gone insane and killed everyone around him with the first curse, there wasn't much point in being repetitive about it either. So no, Kuro never got a second curse. Doesn't mean the oni didn't destroy the last remnants of his family's home. What do you think will become of Fai though? _**


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